Rest assured that the 11 sports drop from the MSSM calendar and several other sports, which saw their Under-15 category being dropped, have no chance of being reinstated this year.
The Education Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has said more than a week ago that he has no knowledge of the cut in MSSM's annual budget from RM 6 million to RM1.5 and that 11 sports have been axed.
However, nothing has surfaced after that or any mention of him intervening to save the situation.
Then, National Sports Assocaitions (NSAs) of sports dropped by MSSM were called for a meeting by the Sports Division of the Education Ministry and asked to help out to organise the events.
However, the NSAs made an appeal so that these sports are reinstated and organised by MSSM.
Some of these NSAs officials are hoping for a reply to their request, but it could well be a wait in futile, as it is already the end of January and February will be gone before you can wink your eyelid with the Chinese New celebrations and all.
Then yesterday, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek gives his take on the situation, where he seems to have accepted the cut in monetary aid and axing of the sports as temporary measure.
(Read here what malay mail's Haresh Deol has written after meeting with the good Sports Minister after he trained out the new laid tennis court at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort, the venue for the WTA International Malaysia Open from Feb 22-28.)
One year of non activity of the respective sports dropped by MSSM, would virtually bury them for good, for come next year, they will be forgotten conveniently.
Ministry officials will be saying, if we can live without the sports for a year, we might as well drop them for good.
I really cannot understand how grassroots sports at schools can be ignored, when Malaysia is supposed to be a sporting nation with big ambitions of excelling at the highest level and that the top guns are not lifting a finger to save the situation.
If they only know the gravity of the whole situation, they will not be taking things at such leisure.
For starters, the situation has really angered the parents.
The bigger picture is that finally the grave has been dug to bury Malaysian sports once and for all. All that is left is to get the coffin and plant the final nails in!
We can have all sorts from development programmes from England, USA or Europe, but once you neglect schools sports - the base of of the pyramid to success, the nation is doomed.
We were already heading in that path with less and less priority given to Physical Education and schools sports activities over the years.
The payback time for the sins committed for neglecting grassroots sports are already on the wall with the dwindling standards of Malaysian sports currently and now we have decided to bury Malaysian sports for good.
Let us not even talk about sports excellence. What about the health factor and sports for all.
It is really mind boggling how things have come to this stage.
Several NSAs of sports axed by MSSM have indicated that they will organise the national championships. Kudos to them!
But who is going to organise the district and state championships? Where are the funds going to come from. What has happened to the Games Fee paid by each pupil?
A few State Sports Councils who have the means had said that they will continue to organise despite no national championships.
However, with the sports scene in schools is in such a mess and no uniformity, I dread to think of what Malaysian sports will be in a few more years down the road.
I am on the verge of giving up on Malaysian sports, but my passion for it tells me, I should not throw in the towel just yet.
However, it is no secret that schools sports is heading for the cliffs and being pushed against the wall.
Everything points to a no return point, unless someone has the sense to save it NOW!
Is it wishful thinking again?
BACKGROUND TO THE LOOMING DISASTER:
MSSM"s budget for 2010 has been slashed from RM 6 million to RM 1.5.
As a result of this measure, ONLY 13 sports will be organised by MSSM at the national level and they are artistic gymnastics, gymrama, golf, swimming, athletics, badminton, netball, basketball, volleyball, sepak takraw, football, tennis and hockey.
On top of that, all the sports, except for artistic gymnastics, gymrama, swimming and athletics, will not have the Under-15 age group.
Schools sports are organised at Under-12, Under-15 and Under-18 age group level.
The eleven sports given the axe include sports which are key sports in Malaysia -bowling, squash and archery.
The others axed are table tennis, rugby, cricket, sailing, softball, handball, cross country and chess.
While sports are cut because of lack of funds at the MSSM level, the inaugural Asian Schools Sports is organised by MSSM to a tune of RM 5.5 million!
7 comments:
Tony,
It is a well known fact that the most common reply we get when we seek some info from any staff in any malaysian organization Is:
Tidak tahu .....ya kah?
Tidak dengar.....
Tidak apa......
Apa mahu buat.....? Itu pegawai cutilah.... saya tidak tahu
Welcome to the World of fantasy.... filled with the highest... the biggest.... the longest.... you name it we are there to show our strength.
Yes, it is Wishful thinking...just like ship that is simply sinking...
At the rate we are going,let us enjoy sports as a recreational activity.... let us bring mirth and laughter into the homes of families maintaining the family bond of love and harmony
while we have to CUT OUR COAT ACCORDING TO OUR CLOTH- let us cover the essential parts of our body with whatever length of material we have in hand---
The main body- our family first.
Anonymous@6.27pm (sorry but I have to differentiate you guys)
I do agree with you on covering the essential parts of our body with whatever length of material we have in hand---
The main body- our family first.
However, if everyone takes the same stand, then it spells the end of a nation because if this stand is taken for this issue, I can safely assume that the same stand will be taken for all other issues in the country.
No matter how small or poor I am, I would like to make that difference, be that difference and no matter what happens in the end, I know that my conscience is at peace.
Requesting permission from Tony, to republish a comment that was published in my Blog http//ybins.blogspot.com
"rlfs said...
MSSM should sit down and talk with Bowling Center Operator on maybe privatising this event..We as operator is always for the sports..
January 26, 2010 7:06 PM"
I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, at least for Tenpin Bowling, if only MOE & MSSM can eat humble-pie, and approach them.
For the sake of the children and the future of Malaysian sport....go talk to them laaaa!
Having said what I have just said, MSSM can always approach Petronas for sponsorship. Better still, go pay a visit to Dato Tony Fernandez, ask for his help. If he can play a major role on the existence of the Malaysian F1 Racing Team, helping to sponsor/finance the MSSM Sport Carnival would be no big deal to him.
However, remember this, when you pay him a visit……….”Jangan bawak GUSI dan GIGI” Go to him with a good and comprehensive proposal. Do not just go there with your problems. Bring along your solutions too. I am confident, if you do just that, he will be more than willing to help, one way or the other!
My friend it is not an easy task to change a culture of 'kow tim' to feasibility project paper...Anyway 2010 is the year of innovation...let the Government walk the talk.
If the official had some initiative this would have been done sometime ago before dropping the bombshell on to the future of Malaysia..it is an easy job 'u cut budget i cut the no. of sports'...wonder whether thinking out of the box exist among the government servants with exception to Tan Sri Sidek..(sorry I had never being a government servant before)
Tony,
when we see and hear our border citizens selling petrol to our neighbours just " to make ends meet"- does not everyone think what has the govt done to help these people ; is it the truth ?
All the policies, all the money has been hijacked somewhere by some people.You can keep guessing....
The rich getting richer and the poor either status quo or even worse.
The same sponsors probably are having severe migraine and sleepless nights being approached over and over again year in and year out by various sports organizations and eventually it still hits back at the consumers .
We are supposed to be a wealthy country with the diverse culture and the strength in values in each group.Unfortunately we have been mismanaged and it will continue as long as people greed for money and fill their own pockets-
A friend of mine requested me to post this comment for him. I have already published thisin my blog http//ybins.blogspot.com
"En. Zainal, saya pernah menjadi Pengurus Pasukan Kriket Perak dalam MSSM beberapa kali. Jika sukan ini tidak dipertandingkan di semua peringkat, maka matilah sukan ini. Di Ipoh sendiri hanya terdapat 5 buah sekolah menengah yang mampu mengadakan pasukan kriket ini. Sekiranya kriket mati, satu kerugian dalam ilmu sukan itu sendiri. Tolonglah majukan perkara ini untuk tindakan mereka.Tk."
How I pity Cricket!!! This sport is already not the sport that many schoolchildren are not interested in. Now they want to take away this sport from MSSM and deprive this small handful of school children, their love for the sport. Instead of trying to promote the sport our KNOWLEDGEABLE Government Officers in the MINISTRY of EDUCATION is KILLING it!
I have created a group in Facebook called "SAVE MALAYSIAN SCHOOL SPORTS AND MALAYSIAN SPORT FUTURE.
Based on a survey from this Blog, there are 3,111984 Primary School and 2304976 Secondary School Children in the country and it sums up to 5,416,960 school going children. Add that to one half of the parents, which would be another 2,708,480 and we will come to a grand total of 8,125,440, which is 30% of the total of 27 million population of Malaysia.
Lets say that only 40% of these 8.125 millions have access to computer, and out of that 40% have Facebook account. Can anyone tell me the answer?????
Yes………correct…the answer is 1,300.070 school going children and one half of the parent. If we can hit 500,000 members in this group by end of February, literally we would be sending signals to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports that they have failed their KPI.
Isn’t KPI what our Prime Minister wants?
If we manage to hit ONE MILLION members by end of February 2010, these people better empty their table and leave the Ministry. You have been voted out of your job, by the PEOPLE!
To all journalist, blogger, readers of the Blog and all TRUE Malaysians, please join the group, If you do not have a Facebook account, create one but please join us!!!!
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